VISUAL PERCEPTION, TARGET DESIGN, & DOT ALIGNMENT

I find it easier to shoot small centered groups when shooting at smaller targets, especially when the 10-ring is a contrasting color (as opposed to trying to center the bouncing red dot in the sea of black). My wobble area seems to shrink in response to the smaller center when it is a contrasting color. I wonder if this is somehow related to the suggestion by Norman Wong for using a beige rubber band, which makes the scope field around the dot appear smaller, see http://www.starreloaders.com/edhall/nwongmain/enhancer.html).
   
 
NRA target design has likely gone through design iterations over time and the current rules clearly state the center rings rings are black in targets used for conventional pistol, where the 7,8,9, & 10 or 8,9,& 10)  are black and the X-ring is always black. Is anyone aware of any studies examining target design on shooter precision and accuracy? Just curious. I can only imagine the protests if I tried to slip a wide paster on the X-ring at a match. Just curious, Dipnet

I think having a white paster in the middle would be horrible!

Trying to snatched the shot whenever the gun was lined up with that little spot would be worse for your score than you think.

I was in a match once where I kept hitting my pasters with later shots. I commented that I should put a paster on the X so I could hit it instead. I was told that would invalidate my target.

I agree with Rob on creating a tendency to snatch shots which does not work at all.

Stop aiming at the black and start aiming at the X.

The bullseye is there make the game harder. It distracts us and encourages us to jerk/anticipate/interrupt shots. It may be that when shooting a non-standard target the mind knows this isn't "real" and it is easy to pull the trigger smoothly and continuously, but then when it's really important the mind has to take control and only pull the trigger when (read after) the sight picture is perfect.

When I do white target drills (backside facing out) I usually score higher than my average.  Which tells me I still have a tendency to snatch one here and there.  In sustained fire I have way too many 96-98 with nine tens or X's and that single 6, 7, or 8.  

- Dave

I should have been clearer in my comments. I am not snatching the trigger. Rather, I am talking about wobble area. I find it easier to hold a small wobble area around a smaller bullseye, where there is clear contrast between the 10 ring and adjacent rings. I always endeavor to break the shot gently, but am not always successful. I accidentally discovered at the range when I ran out of B8 replacement centers for 25 yds. So I used 50-ft slow fire targets and shot really small groups. Later, I put up some small bullseyes on my dry fire targets and discovered I could hold the red dot on those fairly consistently (off course the dot would be on the mark then wander off and then back on and so fourth with the result being a much smaller wobble area).

So I began wondering if there was some psychological phenomena related to visual perception at play here. I only snatch triggers when I am doing very well or when my mind wonders and suddenly realize the command "fire" was given. dipnet

In my opinion, there is definitely a psychological phenomena involved! As a long time "overtryer", when I am "overtrying" in competition, things tend to go very poorly.

When we aren't "overtrying" in practice we find that our performance is different--hold is steadier and tighter. Trigger pull is better.

I'm betting the fact that you were using a target that "didn't matter" because the scoring rings really wouldn't give you any feedback about the SCORE, you were able to get in the zone where overtrying doesn't interfere with performance.

I really do need to try some of these practice variations on my own as well.

I like using the large dots that cover a lot of black.  I think my head sees that as less percentage of black to wobble in.